The present invention relates to a toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the toner supply container is detachably mountable.
The electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording material using an electrophotographic-image-formation type process. Examples of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (laser beam printer, LED printer or the like), a facsimile machine and a word processor.
Heretofore, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic copying machine or a printer, uses fine toner powder as a developer. When the developer in the main assembly of the apparatus is used up, the toner is supplied into the main assembly of the apparatus using a toner supply container.
Here, in a known system, since the toner is very fine powder or particles, the toner supply container is kept set within the main assembly of the apparatus, and the toner is discharged at a small rate through a small opening during the toner supply operation, so as to prevent toner scattering. In such a system, it is difficult to let the toner fall by the gravity or the like, and therefore, some feeding means is required.
An example of a toner supply container provided with such a toner feeding means is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. HEI-7-113796. The toner supply container is generally cylindrical, and one end portion thereof is provided with a relatively small opening for discharging the toner. In the container, there is provided a helical toner feeding member which receives a driving force from the outside, penetrating through a wall of the end of the container.
A bearing seal mechanism is necessary to prevent toner leakage through the through-hole at the end for the drive transmission. Generally, the seal mechanism includes a gear member provided at the end of the feeding member, and a seal is sandwiched between the gear member and the container wall surface. The seal is in many cases an annular wool felt, oil seal or the like.
The toner supply container is used while being kept in the main assembly of the apparatus, and the toner is fed by rotation of the toner feeding member driven from the main assembly, and the toner is discharged at a small rate through the opening.
On the other hand, another toner supply container having toner feeding means is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. HEI-7-4400. The toner supply container is in the form of a cylindrical bottle, and the inside surface thereof is provided with a helical rib, and a small toner discharging outlet is provided adjacent the center at one end.
The toner supply container, as contrasted to the above-described conventional example, does not have any inner feeding means, and is used while being kept in the main assembly of the apparatus, and the main body of the container itself is rotated by the main assembly to feed the toner. The toner fed to the end adjacent the discharging outlet is guided by an extended portion adjacent the opening to be raised toward the discharging outlet adjacent the center of the container, and then is discharged.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container which is placed in a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and which supplies the toner into the main assembly with high reliability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toner supply container of a low manufacturing-cost type.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: (a) a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner; (b) a toner supply opening or port for discharging toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion; and (c) a toner feeding member for feeding the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion toward the toner supply opening by rotation thereof. The center of rotation of the toner feeding member is in an opening region of the toner supply port as seen in the longitudinal direction of the toner feeding member.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.